I tested positive today and I’m a bit scared

[Heathrug]

I know I will likely be fine but my body hurts quite badly and I’m scared. I’m 30 and healthy weight no underlying health conditions so I should be ok. I was due my first vaccine next week too.

I have two children who are now self isolating too. They are 4 & 9. I’m worried for them but they’ll be ok even if they do catch it won’t they.

Hey
I’m just over my isolation period. Paracetamol helped me control any temp and ibuprofen really helped with the pains.

Stay in your bed. You will be fine, it’s just gonna be a shit few days. Sleep whenever you can, watch crap on the internet, eat whatever you can manage, just listen to your body.

My oldest has caught it too. She is fine. You would never guess she is positive

Thanks. I work from home in a job I just started in January. Do you think it is reasonable if I stay off. I feel like forcing myself to work just to save my reputation and job. I don’t know whether my boss will tell me to take it off or not.

I'm much older than you. I had what I described as a heavy cold for the first week but was really quite poorly, in a nasty bug kind of way, in the second week but nothing to suggest I needed any medical intervention. I had dreadful back ache for about 3 weeks afterwards.

DH who had/has cancer was much less ill than I was.

DS2 had one day in bed but was fine apart from that.

DS1 never caught it.

All anecdotal of course, but the odds are really really good that you'll be fine.

If you haven't already, arrange enough paracetamol that everyone can have 8 tablets a day for a week or so.

@Heathrug

Thanks. I work from home in a job I just started in January. Do you think it is reasonable if I stay off. I feel like forcing myself to work just to save my reputation and job. I don’t know whether my boss will tell me to take it off or not.

Do take rest where you can. I would say stay off. You wouldn’t go into work feeling rubbish so don’t do the same at home. You also have the children to consider. Your employer needs to consider all this.

@Heathrug

Thanks. I work from home in a job I just started in January. Do you think it is reasonable if I stay off. I feel like forcing myself to work just to save my reputation and job. I don’t know whether my boss will tell me to take it off or not.

yes, rest if you need to. Research on Long Covid has shown that overdoing things early on could make you more susceptible to it. Your immune system will appreciate the capacity to get you better. It's better for your employer that you have a week off now rather than risk months of chronic ill health.

Thanks all I have two days holiday for next week scheduled so I might offer to move them to this week. To give me some rest. And see how the rest of the week goes.

Another anecdote for you - I’m your age, had it and absolutely fine now. Yep it was rough and I did find the fatigue lingered on which was frustrating...a bad hangover is probably my best comparison for after the main symptoms went. Just keep drinking as much as possible especially during the heat and eat as well as you’re able to.

I couldn’t work, my brain just wasn’t functioning enough to - my boss had no patience with illness and couldn’t see why I couldn’t just have paracetamol and be fine - I hope yours is better!

@Heathrug

Thanks all I have two days holiday for next week scheduled so I might offer to move them to this week. To give me some rest. And see how the rest of the week goes.

Can you claim sick pay instead of using holiday up?

Yes! A two week hangover.

www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus/self-isolation-and-sick-pay/sick-pay-for-self-isolation

In case you find this helpful x

Try not to worry, another anecdote but I tested positive and was not really unwell at all, no one else in household got it from me either (strangely)
The worst thing about it was track & bloody trace ring every other day at 8am and the local authority’covid enforcement’ van coming to check if I ‘needed any help’ more like to check I was in which actually really pissed me off, I’d told them in the 16 million phone calls that I didn’t need any help. The other thing is, don’t work from home or use holiday days, you have covid, you are more than entitled to go off sick.

I hope you'll be fine, everyone I know personally who has had it hasn't needed to be hospitalised.
They ranged from didn't feel sick at all to feeling absolutely rotten with varying symptoms.
But no-one got bad enough to need to go to hospital.
The only person who didn't just go to bed and rest has ended up with long Covid though so I would really recommend just taking to your bed as much as possible.
I obviously don't know your employer but I know I have made the mistake in the past of trying to soldier on when sick and not doing as good a job/ending up needing more time off.
It was made clear to me ten years ago now by a very straight talking boss that most managers prefer you to be realistic about how sick you are and how long you'll be out upfront.
Then they can reallocate your work/push out deadlines.
It's when you keep going but don't get things done that it causes hassle for them.
So if you can afford it contact your manager tomorrow and say your feeling very sick, have tested positive and will probably be out for the rest of the week.
You can keep them updated each morning.
Take care